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SANDAG newsletter
provides information
on key projects & services

Quarterly transportation progress report

Work begins on half-billion dollar I-15 project
One million San Diegans
use 511 its first year

Cox connects to
commute options
MTS sets ridership records
for 2007

New publications released
Top regional public safety issues identified

February Board Actions
available online

MTS sets ridership records for 2007

The Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) continued to set ridership records in 2007, generating 88,719,750 passenger trips and averaging over 265,000 daily weekday trips for the calendar year. Ridership increased by almost six percent over the 83,841,861 passengers MTS carried in 2006.

Milestones set in 2007 include:

• MTS Bus services generated 51,883,923 trips, a five percent increase from 2006.
• MTS Trolley generated 36,835,827, trips a seven percent increase from 2006.
• Semester passes sold at SDSU reached 7,867 for the year, an increase of 24 percent from 2006.
• August ridership set a monthly record for MTS with 4,487,993 trips on MTS buses and 3,686,657 trips on the Trolley. It was the highest ridership month ever for the bus and the second highest ever for the Trolley.

“Many Factors contributed to these records,” explains Paul Jablonski, Chief Executive Officer of MTS. “The biggest reason is that our system has been realigned to better serve the region. In addition, high gas prices, congestion and greater awareness of climate change issues helped boost ridership.”

Special event services also contributed to the MTS record ridership:

• MTS carried 173,340 fans to Charger games which is over 24 percent of all people attending the games.
• MTS carried 347,922 people to Padres games, or about 14 percent of the gate.
• Special events such as Comic-Con, Holiday Bowl, Poinsettia Bowl, SDSU Aztec games, Monster Trucks and other events also contributed to the record year.

“People know what great service we provide to Qualcomm Stadium, Petco Park and the Convention Center,” continues Jablonski. “We move almost 20,000 people out of Qualcomm Stadium within an hour after a Chargers game. That’s just phenomenal and people have learned that it’s much easier to ride the Trolley to many special events in San Diego to avoid traffic and parking issues.”

Another factor for increased ridership is the greater awareness of the environmental benefits of riding public transportation.

“Giving up your car for a day or more a week is the easiest and most effective way to reduce your personal carbon footprint,” states Jablonski. “The average driver in California puts nine tons of pollutants into the air each year. Riding one of our clean and efficient Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered buses or our all-electric trolley is much more friendly to the environment. That idea is catching on.”

In 2008, MTS will continue to become an ever “greener” alternative.  A contract with New Flyer calls for up to 50 new CNG buses to be delivered in each of the next five years and MTS will take delivery of the region’s first-ever gas-hybrid buses this fall.

For more information or to plan a trip visit www.sdmts.com or dial 511 from any phone and say Public Transportation.